e had made an oven； he had fenced in a hut。 Surely he could contrive to live alone savage and free。 Alone！ He had contrived all these marvels alone！ Was not the boat he himself had built below upon the shore？ Why not escape in her； and leave to their fate the miserable creatures who had treated him with such ingratitude？
The idea flashed into his brain； as though someone had spoken the words into his ear。 Twenty strides would place him in possession of the boat； and half an hour's drifting with the current would take him beyond pursuit。 Once outside the Bar； he would make for the westward； in the hopes of falling in with some whaler。 He would doubtless meet with one before many days； and he was well supplied with provision and water in the meantime。 A tale of shipwreck would satisfy the sailors； andhe pausedhe had forgotten that the rags which he wore would betray him。 With an exclamation of despair； he started from the posture in which he was lying。 He thrust out his hands to raise himself； and his fingers came in contact with something soft。 He had been lying at the foot of some loose stones that were piled cairnwise beside a low…growing bush； and the object that he had touched was protruding from beneath these stones。 He caught it and dragged it forth。 It was the shirt of poor Bates。 With trembling hands he tore away the stones； and pulled forth the rest of the garments。 They seemed as though they had been left purposely for him。 Heaven had sent him the very disguise he needed。
The night had passed during his reverie； and the first faint streaks of dawn began to lighten in the sky。 Haggard and pale； he rose to his feet； and scarcely daring to think about what he proposed to do； ran towards the boat。 As he ran； however； the voice that he had heard encouraged him。 〃Your life is of more importance than theirs。 They will die； but they have been ungrateful and deserve death。 You will escape out of this Hell； and return to the loving heart who mourns you。 You can do more good to mankind than by saving the lives of these people who despise you。 Moreover； they may not die。 They are sure to be sent for。 Think of what awaits you when you return an absconded convict！〃
He was within three feet of the boat； when he suddenly checked himself； and stood motionless； staring at the sand with as much horror as though he saw there the Writing which foretold the doom of Belshazzar。 He had come upon the sentence traced by Sylvia the evening before； and glittering in the low light of the red sun suddenly risen from out the sea； it seemed to him that the letters had shaped themselves at his very feet；
GOOD MR。 DAWES。
〃Good Mr。 Dawes〃！ What a frightful reproach there was to him in that simple sentence！ What a world of cowardice； baseness； and cruelty； had not those eleven letters opened to him！ He heard the voice of the child who had nursed him； calling on him to save her。 He saw her at that instant standing between him and the boat； as she had stood when she held out to him the loaf； on the night of his return to the settlement。
He staggered to the cavern； and； seizing the sleeping Frere by the arm； shook him violently。 〃Awake！ awake！〃 he cried； 〃and let us leave this place！〃 Frere； starting to his feet； looked at the white face and bloodshot eyes of the wretched man before him with blunt astonishment。 〃What's the matter with you； man？〃 he said。 〃You look as if you'd seen a ghost！〃
At the sound of his voice Rufus Dawes gave a long sigh； and drew his hand across his eyes。
〃Come； Sylvia！〃 shouted Frere。 〃It's time to get up。 I am ready to go！〃
The sacrifice was complete。 The convict turned away； and two great glistening tears rolled down his rugged face； and fell upon the sand。
CHAPTER XVII。
AT SEA。
An hour after sunrise； the frail boat； which was the last hope of these four human beings； drifted with the outgoing current towards the mouth of the harbour。 When first launched she had come nigh swamping； being overloaded； and it was found necessary to leave behind a great portion of the dried meat。 With what pangs this was done can be easily imagined； for each atom of food seemed to represent an hour of life。 Yet there was no help for it。 As Frere said； it was 〃neck or nothing with them〃。 They must get away at all hazards。
That evening they camped at the mouth of the Gates； Dawes being afraid to risk a passage until the slack of the tide； and about ten o'clock at night adventured to cross the Bar。 The night was lovely； and the sea calm。 It seemed as though Providence had taken pity on them； for； notwithstanding the insecurity of the craft and the violence of the breakers； the dreaded passage was made with safety。 Once； indeed； when they had just entered the surf； a mighty wave； curling high above them； seemed about to overwhelm the frail structure of skins and wickerwork； but Rufus Dawes； keeping the nose of the boat to the sea； and Frere baling with his hat； they succeeded in reaching deep water。 A great misfortune； however； occurred。 Two of the bark buckets； left by some unpardonable oversight uncleated； were washed overboard； and with them nearly a fifth of their scanty store of water。 In the face of the greater peril； the accident seemed trifling； and as； drenched and chilled； they gained the open sea； they could not but admit that fortune had almost miraculously befriended them。
They made tedious way with their rude oars； a light breeze from the north…west sprang up with the dawn； and； hoisting the goat…skin sail； they crept along the coast。 It was resolved that the two men should keep watch and watch； and Frere for the second time enforced his authority by giving the first watch to Rufus Dawes。 〃I am tired；〃 he said； 〃and shall sleep for a little while。〃 Rufus Dawes； who had not slept for two nights； and who had done all the harder work； said nothing。 He had suffered so much during the last two days that his senses were dulled to pain。
Frere slept until late in the afternoon； and； when he woke； found the boat still tossing on the sea； and Sylvia and her mother both seasick。 This seemed strange to him。 Sea…sickness appeared to be a malady which belonged exclusively to civilization。 Moodily watching the great green waves which curled incessantly between him and the horizon； he marvelled to think how curiously events had come about。 A leaf had； as it were； been torn out of his autobiography。 It seemed a lifetime since he had done anything but moodily scan the sea or shore。 Yet； on the morning of leaving the settlement； he had counted the notches on a calendar…stick he carried； and had been astonished to find them but twenty…two in number。 Taking out his knife； he cut two nicks in the wicker gunwale of the coracle。 That brought him to twenty…four days。 The mutiny had taken place on the 13th of January； it was now the 6th of February。 〃Surely；〃 thought he； 〃the Ladybird might have returned by this time。〃 There was no one to tell him that the Ladybird had been driven into Port Davey by stress of weather； and detained there for seventeen days。
That night the wind fell； and they had to take to their oars。 Rowing all night； they made but little progress； and Rufus Dawes suggested that they should put in to the shore and wait until the breeze sprang up。 But； upon getting under the lee of a long line of basaltic rocks which rose abruptly out of the sea； they found the waves breaking furiously upon a horseshoe reef； six or seven miles in length。 There was nothing for it but to coast again。 They coasted for two days； without a sign of a sail； and on the third day a great wind broke upon them from the south…east； and drove them back thirty miles。 The coracle began to leak； and required constant bailing。 What was almost as bad； the rum cask； that held the best part of their water； had leaked also； and was now half empty。 They caulked it； by cutting out the leak； and then plugging the hole with linen。
〃It's lucky we ain't in the tropics；〃 said Frere。 Poor Mrs。 Vickers； lying in the bottom of the boat； wrapped in her wet shawl； and chilled to the bone with the bitter wind； had not the heart to speak。 Surely the stifling calm of the tropics could not be worse than this bleak and barren sea。
The position of the four poor creatures was now almost desperate。 Mrs。 Vickers； indeed； seemed completely prostrated； and it was evident that； unless some help came； she could not long survive the continued exposure to the weather。 The child was in somewhat better case。 Rufus Dawes had wrapped her in his woollen shirt； and； unknown to Frere； had divided with her daily his allowance of meat。 She lay in his arms at night； and in the day crept by his side for shelter and protection。 As long as she was near him she felt safe。 They spoke little to each other； but when Rufus Dawes felt the pressure of her tiny hand in his； or sustained the weight of her head upon his shoulder； he almost forgot the cold that froze him； and the hunger that gnawed him。
So two more days passed； and yet no sail。 On the tenth day after their departure from Macquarie Harbour they came to the end of their provisions。 The salt water had spoiled the goat…meat； and soaked the bread into a nauseous paste。 The sea was still running high； and the wind； having veered to the north； was blowing with increased violence。 The long low line of coast that stretched upon their left hand was at times obscured by a blue mist。 The water was the colour of mud； and the sky threatened rain。 The wretched craft to which they had entrusted themselves was leaking in four places。 If caught in one of the frequent storms which ravaged that iron…bound coast； she could not live an hour。 The two men； wearied； hungry； and cold； almost hoped for the end to come quickly。 To add to their distress； the child was seized with fever。 She was hot and cold by turns； and in the intervals of moaning talked deliriously。 Rufus Dawes； holding her in his arms； watched the suffering he was unable to alleviate with a savage despair at his heart。 Was she to die after all？
So another day and night passed； and the eleventh morning saw the boat yet alive； rolling in the trough of the same deserted sea。 The four exiles lay in her almost